Databases for the storage of information have been known for some time. However, databases are not well known for the storage and efficient dissemination of personal information to third parties who are provided permission to access that personal information.
Generally, there is a significant level of community concern regarding the security of personal information stored electronically in databases. In particular, breaches of privacy with respect to personal information stored in databases operated and maintained by government agencies and others act to undermine the trust of members of the community.
Security measures such as public key encryption have been introduced in an attempt to improve the level of security with respect to the handling of information that is stored and accessed electronically. However, these developments have generally only been implemented with respect to entire documents or to provide access to entire databases.
Adviser relationships have existed since mankind first sought the advice of a trusted family member, associate or other trusted individual to assist a person make a decision or plan to achieve an outcome.
The success of the advice given depends upon the ability of the individual seeking advice to identify and communicate a complete view of their relevant history, current circumstances and future plans, and upon the trusted individual's ability to identify and make use of that information to arrive at a recommended course of action and to develop a strategy to reach the individual's goal.
Of course, this depends upon the complexity of the individual's goal and the information required, the individual's ability to selectively communicate all the information to enable the trusted individual (or trusted individuals working in collaboration), the ability of the trusted individual to get access to this information when alternatives are being considered, the professional skills required of the trusted individual to provide advice to meet that goal, and the individual's commitment to the trusted individual's recommendation(s).
Whilst the best possible advice is desired from a trusted individual and accurate personal data is divulged for this reason, people are generally not inclined to provide unfettered access to an adviser with respect to all their personal data. Accordingly, most people seek to restrict divulging personal data to only those necessary details for an adviser to provide the relevant advice.
As a result, there is a balance between divulging relevant personal data to an adviser to enable them to provide relevant, practical and effective advice and the personal desire to retain personal information private and confidential.
The general concern about keeping personal information private and protected has led to many countries adopting strict regulatory controls with respect to the use and management of an individual's personal data. On the other hand, with the advent of increased reliance upon advisers for a range of needs, it is becoming increasingly common for advisers to adduce evidence of a satisfactory level of probity and awareness of an individual's personal situation such that they can justify their advice as relevant and appropriate considering the personal circumstances of the individual seeking advice.
The situation is further complicated when a person requires advice from a range of advisers who each require access to different aspects of the individual's personal data. In certain circumstances, significant inefficiencies can be avoided if advisers are able to collaborate with respect to the individual advice they are providing.
Presently, in situations where a consumer requires advice from a range of advisers, they provide their relevant personal data to each adviser individually. In most instances, there is a substantial repetition of the data provided which is usually necessary since individual advisers rarely collaborate with respect to advice for a particular consumer. As a result, each adviser will usually keep a record of the personal data provided by consumer and retain that data for future reference. As the advice provided by an adviser is necessarily reliant upon the consumers personal data, advisers effectively become the owner of the record of personal data provided to and kept by them as they need to keep such data in the event that they are subsequently confronted with an allegation of negligence or some form of misconduct. In these instances, advisers rely upon the personal data that they keep to enable them to defend their consumer's action and/or the advice provided to the consumer.
Therefore, with prior arrangements, there is significant inefficiency experienced by a consumer when they seek advice from a range of advice providers. This inefficiency is particularly noticeable when a consumer requires advice from multiple advisers who need to collaborate in order to advice the consumer.
Further, with prior arrangements, it is not possible for consumers to retain ownership of their data and obtain advice without providing copies of their personal data to an adviser whilst at the same time satisfying the requirements of advisers to be able to justify or defend the advice provided.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system of providing advice to a consumer that mitigates the inefficiencies associated with previously known methods and systems.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method and system of providing advice to a consumer that enables a consumer to retain ownership of and access their personal data and avoid providing copies of same to advisers for the purpose of obtaining advice.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, should be understood to mean the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.